I've been a subscriber for the last 3 issues. The subscription deal was awesome: £20 for 6 x issues plus a free Mord - Imperium Magnum Infernalis LP. However, when i contacted them 4 days after the latest issue came out to politely enquire where my subscriber copy was they said 'that's because subscriber copies only went out yesterday.' A bit annoying to wait a week AFTER the damn thing comes out to get a copy.

All in all better than Terrorizer, but still at times not actually THAT great. I prefer MM but that's hardly distributed at all in the UK anymore._________________Cheap and fast deadstock sales on early NWN and others:

Well, despite the argument of "they're better than Terrorizer" (which really isn't hard) what are ZT's merits? Still few and far between I think. I can't see why anyone would buy this when there's plenty of good fanzines around that will actually point you to decent music rather than go "Ho, ho, metal is for children, I only listen to it to be iron. How I love Isis."

Plus, when they do actually feature good bands, is this even a good thing? I know there's an age old argument for and against this, but I really don't think that the majority readership of ZT should have decent stuff like the aforementioned NWN bands handed to them on a plate!

Plus, when they do actually feature good bands, is this even a good thing? I know there's an age old argument for and against this, but I really don't think that the majority readership of ZT should have decent stuff like the aforementioned NWN bands handed to them on a plate!

I disagree. More exposure to good metal the better. Less Cradle of Filth and more Ignivomous to the masses._________________NWN Fest Vol. IV Tickets here: http://nwnfest.storenvy.com/

One of the biggest problems with Terrorizer and to a lesser extent ZT is that there are a number of contributors who wish they could write for THE WIRE etc. hence poncy reviews and the inclusion of hip-hop and experimental avant garde stuff in their end of year lists. I seriously doubt they are into metal at all.

ZT is the better of the two mags even if they do have weird background colour schemes i.e. yellow background with purple writing.

I wish someone would make a magazine like METAL FORCES again _________________Wart-encrusted sebaceous growths
Pustulating, bleeding piles are what I boast
Scabby and blistered pectoral skin flakes away
As my crushed bowels evacuate much to my dismay...

Considering they've occaisionally covered neo-folk, noise and martial, I would like them to cover that more often, it would perhaps seperate them from most extreme music magazines on the shelf.

As for the exposure of bands such as Ignivomous, Dead Congregation, Pseudogod etc, does anyone here seriously think that most kiddies can really be bothered to seek these out? Most people I'm aware of just buy from their local store or at best go straight to amazon.

to be a high circulation, bookstore type mag is a delicate balancing act, as you almost have to cover Cradle or Kamelot to some extent, but the tricky part is including enough content to turn those same people onto the lesser known acts. It's impossible to be tightly focused and appeal, for example, only to crusty kids but there are plenty of fanzines that can do just that. The Barnes and Nobles mags are great introductory tools and it's up to the consumer to dig deeper.